Hidden Jewels: Sugar Loaf and Warwick

Beth Kalet of Warwick samples some of the handmade soaps available at Rosner Soaps in Sugar Loaf.

People come for the shops, but more and more, they also come for the events. "There's always something going on." Says Kern. "There's either a concert going on, or an outdoor event, or some performer or some artist showing." The Sugar Loaf Fall Festival, in its 40th year, brought over 16,000 people to Sugar Loaf over Columbus Day weekend. This past holiday season, Sugar Loaf closed off Kings Highway (its main street) and had horse-drawn carriages, caroling, and a visit from Santa. "If you look at the village [during the winter], it looks like it belongs under a Christmas tree," says Ellis.

Worth the Effort

Warwick and Sugar Loaf, connected by the King's Highway, are also connected by the way they remain unspoiled by the modern trappings of suburbia. While the rest of Orange County welcomes national chains and growing sprawl along Interstate 87 and its other major corridors, these two destinations have held on to their heritage, and retain control over the character of their communities—an achievement that has managed to go relatively unnoticed by the rest of the county. "So many people have moved up into our area in the last 20 years and they just don't even know [Sugar Loaf] exists." Says Kern. "They just get into their car and go right to Woodbury Commons. They don't look around the corner to see what's there."

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